Curated Skiing Expert Allie Staffen got her hands on the 2024 Nordica Unleashed 98 Tree this spring. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every skier is different; if you have any questions about the Unleashed 98 Tree or need recommendations on which ski would be best for you, reach out to a Skiing Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Nordica claim about this ski? Nordica claims that this is an all-mountain, freeride ski for advanced and expert skiers.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of the ski? Overall, my impression of the ski was that it was fun, playful, and it actually was a bit stiffer than I expected with it being a twin tip. With this being a 168 centimeter ski, it is a bit long for me, but it didn't feel like that because of the twin tips.

How does the shape of the ski affect the way it rides? This is a twin tip, powder rocker ski. It’s kind of special for Nordica because they don’t make a whole lot of twin tips.

What is the flex like? Surprisingly, this ski was actually stiffer in the tip and the tail, but softer underfoot. What that does is actually make it a lot more stable at speed and able to get up on edge very easily.

Carving

How does the ski turn? This ski turned very easily for me and I was able to make quick pivot-y turns.

What is the edge hold like? The edge hold was actually really well. There were some slick spots on the mountain today, and I didn't lose my edge.

What about dampness? Any chatter in the skis? This is not the most damp ski. There was a little bit of chatter whenever you got into the chunder, but it held up really nicely.

How does it feel in terms of speed? This thing wants to go fast. I felt very stable at speed.

How is its energy/acceleration? Nordica claims that there’s a good amount of camber underfoot, however I didn’t really feel it help me power out of those turns.

Freestyle

Could you speak about playfulness and pop? This ski was really fun and playful. However, it didn't have a whole lot of pop. It was fun to hit a lot of jumps on it, though.

Is it good for skiing switch? This ski is actually really fun to ski switch, and it’s very easy if you’re learning to ski switch. Because it does actually have less camber, it was easier to initiate those turns while riding switch.

How is the ski with jumps? This ski was awesome on jumps and I felt a lot of stability whenever I landed.

Can it handle the park and what features is it best for/should avoid? I really wouldn't take this into the park. However, if you are going to, I would do more big air jumps. I wouldn't take it onto rails. You could do boxes, but again, those rails are not going to be a lot of fun on these skis.

Freeride

How is it in powder? This ski was actually okay in the powder. There are better 98 underfoot skis for powder; however, I was not completely sinking.

How is it in uneven terrain and chunder? It skis decently in uneven terrain and chunder. But, it's definitely not the best and that's where you start to feel that chatter.

How is it skiing in the trees? How is its maneuverability? Because the ski was a little bit long for me, I did have to work a lot harder in order to turn in the trees. However, I think that if I were on a ski that was the right size for me, it would be really nice and easy to get those quick pivots.

What terrain is this ski good for? If you want to make the whole mountain your playground, these are the skis for you. You can definitely jib off the side hits, get those Spread Eagles, and really have some fun.

What terrain should skiers avoid with it? You should not take these skis into deep powder and into the park on the rails - they're not going to excel on those.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend these skis to? I would recommend these skis to advanced and expert skiers. Additionally, I would also recommend them to intermediate skiers that are looking to progress.

Who should avoid these skis, there are better options out there for them? Beginners should definitely avoid these skis. There are better options out there for you.

If you could pack these skis for anywhere in the world, where would you take them? If I could take these skis to anywhere in the world it would be right here in Colorado.

Skis work differently for different types of skiers. If you are wondering whether the Unleashed 98 Tree is the right ski for you, chat with Allie or any other Skiing Experts here on Curated, and they’ll put together free, personalized ski recommendations on the best skis for your needs.